


Sleeping Handsome

by AdyBrooke14



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Female Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Prince Merlin (Merlin), Sleeping Beauty Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24711397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdyBrooke14/pseuds/AdyBrooke14
Summary: Princess Arthina will do whatever it takes to rescue her sleeping Prince Merlin.orThe Sleeping Beauty AU where Arthur's a girl.I posted this a while ago then deleted it, but a few people were interested in it so I decided to post it again.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	Sleeping Handsome

**Author's Note:**

> You may have possibly read this a while ago, I posted it in January in celebration of Colin's birthday but chickened out and deleted it the next day. I chose to post it again because a few lovely friends on Wattpad were curious about it.
> 
> Here goes! I barely proofread this but I did fix most of the errors before posting. Read at your own risk.

King Balinor and Queen Hunith smiled at their new, beautiful son, Prince Merlin. Queen Hunith chose this name after her favorite bird, the merlin. It was the baby’s first birthday, and King Uther had already made an arrangement for his daughter, Arthina, to marry the baby. Arthina was only three at the time, and the thought of marriage disgusted her. she wrinkled his nose at the sight of the groom to be and quickly moved away from the cradle to stand beside her father. A light-filled room as three sorcerers entered. They smiled warmly at Merlin’s sleeping form and turned to her parents. The first sorcerer, Mordred, smiled up at King Balinor.  
“My King, We will each bless your son with a gift. No more, no less.”  
Mordred moved from his place in front of the throne and stood beside the cradle.  
“Dear Prince, I bless you with the gift of charm.” Mordred waved his hand and a small smile appeared on the sleeping prince’s face. The sorcerer Gaius stood next to the cradle next.

“Sweet prince, I bless you with the gift of song.”  
After Gaius, the sorcerer Alator steps forward.   
“Young Prince, I give you the gift of-”  
Before Alator could finish, the doors to the great wall burst open, flying across the room. The evil sorceress Morgana bursts into the room, her face curled into a deceiving smile.   
“Why, King Balinor. I’m surprised. It seems everyone is here. Nobility, royalty, ah! Are those the famed sorcerers I see? I was quite distressed when I realized I had not gotten an invitation.”  
“You weren’t wanted!” Gaius growled.  
“Not wanted? Well, in that case, I guess I must get going.”  
“You’ll not harbor any ill feelings for this...misunderstanding?” queen Hunith asked.  
“Why, of course not! In fact, I too shall bestow a gift upon the child.”  
Immediately, the sorcerers jumped in front of the baby, desperate to guard the sleeping prince.  
“Indeed the prince shall have a great voice and charm, but on his sixteenth birthday, he shall prick his finger on the spinning wheel, and die!” Morgana screamed.  
The entire court cried out in horror, terrified that their future ruler would live such a short life.   
“Guards seize her!” cried Balinor.  
Every knight in the room raced forward with their spears, but with an evil cackle, Morgana and her bird disappeared into thin air.  
The king fell into his throne, sobs racking his body.

“My lord! Alator has not cast his gift, spoke Mordred.  
“Then you can lift this curse?” questioned the king hopefully.”  
“Lift it, no. Morgana’s powers are far too strong. However, I can Lighten in slightly. The Prince shall not die, but instead, fall into a deep slumber, and only true love’s kiss can awake him.” Alator said.  
The King frowned still, but delight kindled in his eyes at the thought of his son not dying. He hugged Alator tightly.

The three sorcerers were in a distraught state of panic. There was no way they could let their tiny prince sleep for eternity if he never found love. King Blainor even burned ever-spinning wheel in the palace, in the kingdom! He refused to let any harm come to his son, but the sorcerers knew a bonfire wouldn’t stop Morgana. They soon decided to hide the prince far away and out of sight from Morgana. The king and queen depressingly agreed, pained beyond words as their beautiful baby was wrapped in a cloth, and left to live a completely different life. Gaius, Alator, and Mordred disguised themselves as commoners and his the baby away in a secluded cottage in the woods. Merlin often chose to dress in a blue tunic, with a red neckerchief and a light brown jacket with a pair of dark brown trousers and a dark belt with bucked boots. He grew to be a handsome young man, with sharp cheekbones that could cut glass and raven hair that beamed in the moonlight. He had deep, stunning blue eyes with a scrawny frame. His sixteenth birthday was approaching, and the sorcerers were planning a surprise party for the prince, in celebration of still being hidden from Morgana’s wrath.   
“Now, dear. We need you to pick some berries for us, today.” Gaius explained.  
“Berries? But I picked some yesterday,” complained Merlin.  
“Yes, yes, but we need more! Lots more!” Cried Mordred, pushing him out the door. Merlin opened his mouth to protest but the door slammed in his face. He smiled in amusement, knowing they were planning something. He trudged the forest, humming loudly. He remembered the reoccurring dream he continued to have for his entire life. His humming turned into a full out opera, his melting voice sweeping through the woods so every creature could hear him.

Princess Arthina was enjoying her ride through the woods. Though is was frowned upon, she wore a red tunic with light brown trousers. Her hair was pulled into a braid that hung to her waist and she had on a crown she had made from flowers. She was about to head back to the castle when she heard an enchanting voice belonging to a boy echo through the woods. Her horse whinnied, wanting to continue. She shook her head and turned the horse around, riding for the boy. She had to see the owner of such a marvelous voice! She raced forward and when she realized she was getting closer, she hops off her horse. She tied her steed to a tree limb and crept towards the song. Cautiously, she peered behind the bushes to see a young man, about her age, dancing to and fro with his eyes closed. His mouth opened and closed in rhythm with the song and she realized it was h who was singing. She was in awe of his charm as he seemed gentle, yet had a mischievous look to his face. She crept forward and grabbed his outstretched hands, joining into the song with him. His eyes opened wide as he realized he actually had a partner. He looked around frantically and began backing away.  
“Where are you going?” Arthina frowned, confused as to why he would stop such a wonderful moment.  
“I-I I’m not supposed to speak to strangers… I have to go!”  
“Wait!” Arthina cried, clutching his wrist desperately.  
“Please, stay won’t you?”  
“But I’ve never met you!”  
“Well I haven’t either, but you look mighty familiar!”  
“You look like that girl in my dreams!” Merlin exclaimed.  
Arthina nodded in agreement. “Yes, I’ve seen you in my dreams as well! That’s the only reason I can think of for knowing that song!”  
Arthina grabbed his hands and placed them back to where they were, and she placed her hands on his shoulders as she began the song again. Slowly, Merlin joined in and they continued dancing like this for hours, sometimes with their eyes closed, sometimes with them open. They continued the same song over and over and eventually tried other ones. As the sun grew higher in the sky, they sat together in the grass and Merlin handed her berries he had picked. She laid her head in his lap and he began to plop berries in her mouth when she opened them. When they both had their fill, Merlin gasped, realizing that the sorcerers had no idea where he was!   
“I’m late!” He cried. “I was supposed to be home an hour ago!”  
“Please, don’t go! I don’t even know your name! When can I see you again?” Arthina begged.  
“The abandoned cottage in the woods, tonight!” He replies running quickly with his basket of berries. Arthina sighed with happiness as she watched him go, delighted at the thought of seeing him again.

You still have not found the prince?!?” Cried Morgana, throwing her flask across the room in anger.  
“We’ve searched everywhere! Every village, town, mountains, woods, and every cradle!”  
Morgana froze in her tracks.  
“Cradle! Cradle! All these years you’ve been looking for a baby!” She screeched, then broke into hysterics of laughter, amazed at their stupidity.  
“Fools! Imbeciles!” She screamed and blasted her henchmen relentlessly with every spell she could think of. They all ran and cowered in fear. Morgana sighed and fell into her throne in exasperation. She then turned to look at her baby dragon, Aithusa.  
“My pet, you're my only hope. Search for a boy at the age of sixteen with hair as dark as the night and eyes the color of the sea! Go! Find him!”  
Aithusa cried out and flew from the dark castle, in search of the lost prince Merlin. The dragon had flown over most of the kingdom, searching high and low for any signs of the boy. She was about to give up when she saw magical sparks erupting from the chimney of an abandoned cottage. The sorcerers! Aithusa sunk low from the sky to get a better view. She watched as a young man, that fit her master’s instructions perfectly, stroll into the cottage. The three sorcerers that she recognized all too well, even if they were in common clothing, race to embrace the boy as he smiled widely and returned the warm hug. His eyes widened as he took in the whole cottage. A large cake sat in the kitchen, while a stunning cape with the royal family crest lay on the mantle. 

“Why, isn’t this the best day ever!” Merlin exclaimed.   
“Why I suppose it is,” remarked Alator.  
“Oh, you just wait till you meet her! She’s incredible!”  
“Her? Yo-you met someone, Emrys?” Gaius asked, calling the boy by the name they told him was his. He would know he was the prince if they called him Merlin.  
“Of course!”  
“We told you not to speak with strangers!” Scolded Mordred.  
“But she wasn’t a stranger!” Merlin cried. He grabbed Mordred and spun him around, singing the song he shared with Arthina.   
“I think he’s in love!” Exclaimed Mordred.  
“Oh no, that can’t be!” Cried Gaius.  
“And why not? I’m sixteen!”  
“Yes, but you're already betrothed! To Princess Arthina!"  
“But that would make me-“  
“Prince Merlin! You are!” Said Alator.  
“No, no, no. That’s can’t be! I won’t marry someone I don’t love!” He screamed, tears streaming from his face as he bolted to his room. Aithusa smiled, delighted with her findings.

“Princess Arthina has arrived!” The royal guard called out, announcing the girl’s arrival. King Uther raced to the court yard to greet his daughter as she hopped off her horse.  
“Arthina! You cannot meet your future groom looking like that!” He cried in distress.  
“Oh, but I have, father! Once, in a dream!” Arthina smiled and swayed to and fro to the song she sang with Merlin.  
“You’ve met Prince Merlin! That’s wonderful!” The king laughed.  
“Now father, I didn’t say it was Merlin.”  
“But-“  
“This is the fourteenth century after all! I can marry who I want!”  
“Who is he?”  
“Oh a peasant boy, I suppose.”  
“You see here! I will not see you throw your life away for a nobody!”  
“Sorry father, but I’m off to see him, I must go before tonight!” She called as she raced from the palace, King Uther chasing after her.

The three sorcerers were careful to disguise their young prince best they could as they ran from the cottage to finally reunite the lost prince with his family. Merlin had pushed aside his tears for now, trying his hardest to understand his true identity. The sorcerers led him to the castle and gently led him to a side room while they searched the place up and down for king Balinor. Merlin day at a small desk in front of a small mirror. Merlin stared at his place face and raven hair. Gently, Mordred placed a crown upon his head, finally revealing what he truly was. They saw his lip began to quiver and his eyes filled with water, so they quickly ran to leave him alone in his grief. While the sorcerers searches for the king, Merlin heard a soft voice calling his name.   
Merlin,  
Meeerliiin  
Merlin  
Curious, as if he were in a trance, he stood up with an expressionless face. Slowly, the fireplace in the front of the room to reveal a hidden passage.  
Merlin  
Meeerliiiin  
An ominous green glow lit the passage, providing a evil glow that led the prince through the endless hallway.  
Meeerliiin  
Merlin  
By the time the sorcerers realized what was going on, they were too late. The cursed their own stupidity at leaving the boy alone, on his sixteenth birthday. The raced into the room and stared in horror as their beloved prince they had raised disappeared down the hallway. They charged forward and darted after him, but he was nowhere to be seen. They frantically ran up each staircase, calling his name. Mordred sported him walking in a zombie-like state and called out to the others. They ran as one, praying that they weren’t too late. Merlin stared at the spinning wheel, his arm lifting to touch the spindle. In the back of his mind, he heard bells of warning pounding his head, but he brushed them aside and delicately touched it, collapsing to the ground. The sorcerers raced up the last staircase, ignoring any fatigue that threatened to wash over them. They gasped in shock to see Morgana grinning at them, an evil cackle escaping her body.  
“How will you save your precious prince now?” She laughed

She stepped to the side to reveal the sleeping form of the pale price, draped across the floor. Gaius raced to the boy’s side while Mordred had to hold Alator back from blasting the witch as she disappeared. Together, they gently carried the prince to the highest tower in the kingdom, grief washing over their faces. The laid his limp form on the bed and placed his hands gracefully on his chest.  
“Come, we must put the rest of the kingdom asleep until he awakes,” Gaius sighed. The three sorcerers walked through the palace to The tallest parts of the citadel and cast a spell, causing the whole kingdom to go into a deep slumber. Just as king Uther was falling away from consciousness, he continued speaking to Balinor, who was already asleep in the chair to his right.  
“You’ve missed it, Balinor! My preposterous daughter rides in and tells me that she’s in love! A common…booooyyy.”  
But the king was soon deep in slumber, joining his kingdom.   
Gaius stared in shock at the king, realization pouring into him at once. Arthina and Merlin meet each other in the woods! They were in love!

Thrilled at the aspect of once again meeting her new lover, Arthina charged to the abandoned cottage at breakneck speed. She would never forgive herself if Merlin had been waiting for her since sundown and finally went home. The thought of him leaving pushed her harder until finally the small building arrived in her view. She effortlessly dismounted her horse and seemingly clam approached the cottage.   
“Hello? Is there anyone who dwell here?” She called cautiously.

Before she could turn back to her horse, a laugh erupted from within the cottage as several creatures of the night, Morgana’s henchmen, tackled her to the ground and bound her rather tight and painfully. She growled and wrestled furiously as they threw her in the dungeons, cackling in satisfaction that they had for once, not appeared as an utter let down to their mistress of evil. Arthina threw her head up as she heard graceful footsteps echoing down the long staircase that emptied into her cell. Morgana came into view, Aithusa crawling back and forth on her shoulders. The small white dragon seemed to mirror Morgana’s malicious smile from cheek to cheek. Morgana’s hair flew in each and every direction, and it was all too clear she had been bent on this day for eternity.

“Ah, the lovely Princess Arthina. Come now, why melancholy? A wondrous future awaits you! You are the charming destiny of a fairy tale come true.”  
Morgana pulls a staff from her cloak and swirls her hand over the orb sitting on top, bringing an image to life.  
“Deep, in the highest tower, lay a sleeping lad, doomed for an ageless sleep. The charming prince Merlin, wouldn’t you agree? But wait! Isn’t that the lad that won our dear princess’s heart, but only yesterday! ‘Tis no wonder why. Hair darker than the raven’s feather, and eyes that shame the sky! The years roll by, but what is one hundred years to a steadfast heart?”

The image changes, no longer displaying the breathtaking Prince. Instead, it changes to an old woman, beaten and dating in the saddle. Her hand hardly clutched the pathetic, rusted sword in her grasp. With a sharp pain, Arthina realized it was her.  
“Finally, the dungeon gates open, and the princess rides off on her noble steed to awaken her prince, proving that true love really conquers all!” Morgana shrieks in delight. Arthina felt such violent anger surge weighing her chest, a storm erupted from her lungs as she tried to fling herself at the witch, but to no avail with hands chained to the wall. She fell to the ground shaking with a mixture of horror and grief.

Alator, Gaius, And Mordred wasted not a spare breath charging with the power of the wind towards Morgana’s cursed tower, boiling over. Arthina was their only hope! They entered the castle, shrinking themselves to the size of s thumb so they could pass through the castle undetected. They snuck silently through the castle, searching desperately for their beloved godson’s only hope. They raced straight to the only logical place Morgana would keep her. The dungeons. They finally, after racing back and forth to each cell, realized what was happening. Morgana was smiling wickedly at a small, weeping for on the floor in front of her. Stiffly, she looked up and narrowed her eyes, surveying her surroundings before finally leaving up the stairs, the way she had come down.

Arthina had all but given up at this point, angered that she would never see the light of day again, or her true love. Just the image of Merlin’s flawless face made her body shake with sobs. Exhausted, she lowered her head meekly to see three tiny form staring up at her from the floor of the cell beside Arthina’s foot. She gasped, taken aback at first, but grew calm as she realized the were the legendary good sorcerers of Balinor’s great kingdom.

“Hurry! We’ve no time to explain!” cried Alator blasting the chains from Arthinas wrists. She jumped to her feet immediately, racing from the disgusting cell. As she ran, Gaius waved his wand and caused a shield to appear in her hand. Mordred waved his as well and in her other hand, she held a shield. Although Arthina was no doubt a good, her skill as a swordswoman was unmatchable. She had begged Uther as a child to learn and slowly he agreed, realizing it would give her the upper hand in battle since no one expected a lady to wield a sword. They raced from the castle and ran to free Arthina’s horse. Alator blasted the horse free and Arthina wasted no time mounting it with a single leap and charged at full speed, grabbing the tiny sorcerers and gently tucking them in her pocket. Morgana’s men three a cauldron of boiling water over them, but before it could hit the princess Gaius turned them into flowers. As they passed beneath another bridge, more of Morgana’s soldiers threwarrows at them, all trying to aim for her. Mordred quickly turned them into bubbles, popping harmlessly off the girl. Arthiina shot them a grateful grin before she saw Morgana climbing the tallest tower of her kingdom raising her wand angrily. Out of nowhere, large boulders flew upon them. One particularly large one hit the poor girl in the shoulder and she let out a scream, but quickly fought to stay awake.   
“Faster, Arthina!” Cried Gaius. 

Arthina pushed her poor horse as hard as possible, but there was no time. They came upon a sharp cliff and Arthina rode against the edge, trying not to fall. Morgana shrieked another spell and the path began to crumble. Arthina turned her horse and forced it to leap across a steep canyon that lead to a path twisting to Balinor’s kingdom. The castle was in view, Arthina’s hope grew higher and higher with each continuing moment. She heard Morgana screaming an ancient incantation at the top of her lungs, and an ominous cloud swirled toward the castle and wrapped around the top of KIng Balinor’s castle. Lightning shot from the black cloud, striking the ground around the castle. Every place the lightning struck, thorn grew from the ground to at least twenty feet, completely surrounding the palace. Arthina stopped, but only for a second. She drew her sword and swiped widely in front of her, cutting through the thorns. Each time her cloak got stuck, Alator or Mordred would wave their wands causing her clothing to free itself. Finally, she was past the thorn barrier and Morgana was seething. The princess would stop nothing!

Morgana closed her eyes and teleported herself in front of the princess. "You may have made it this far princess, but now you face me!" Morgana screeched. A green light exploded from her body and her shadow flew past the clouds. In the place of the once beautiful young sorceress stood a black dragon, eyes blank and soulless, shining green. Arthina stared at the dragon in horror and raced towards the thorns seeking cover. Morgana lowered her giant head and it swerved through the thorns looking for her. As she came around the corner, Arthina sliced the beast on the head with her sword, leaving a gash across the dragon’s snout. Morgana roared in fury and set the thorn bushes on fire, hoping to force her out. Arthina was backed up against a cliff, staring at the green flames with petrified fear. 

“Arthina!” she heard Mordred call. The small sorcerer was pointing to the cliff, showing her the rocks sticking out so she could climb of the cliff face. Morgana was snapping her jaws at Arthina while she climbed, anad Arthina was swinging her sword blindly, trying to land a good hit. Finally, she reached the top of the cliff and was at the top, standing at the edge. Before she could take a breath, Morgana landed in front of her. There was no escape as Morgana backed her towards the edge precariously. Gaius climbed to Arthina’s shoulder and waved her wand, causing the sword to glow. The tiny sorcerer spoke a few words for some spell, but Arthina couldn’t make them out. A white light shone from the large blade, and Arthina dew her arm back and aimed as best it could. The sword flew from her grasp and landed pure and true in Morgana’s chest. The dragon released an unearthly scream before falling off the cliff, sword in her heart. Arthina watched in amazement as the body hit the ground, only the sword remained, the only sign of a body was the black stain on the grass. Arthina raised her head to see the castle, as the cloud disappeared, along with the thorns and the dark sky. The kingdom was restored to its former glory, the sun shining brilliantly.

Arthina raced through the large castle as if her life depended on it. The sorcerer’s lead her to the sleeping of the prince, and she wasted no time in finding her. They lead her past the fountain and through the staircases, finally they reached the highest tower. The sorcerers jumped from Arthina’s pocket and returned to their normal size. They left to wake the rest of the kingdom as Arthina stared at the prince. His face was perfect, pale with a beautiful blush. His hair hung limply in his face, giving her the urging desire to brush it away. She walked up to the bed and ran her fingers through his faven hair, moving it aside. Tenderly, she lowered her head and kissed him lightly on the lips. She stared in awe as his gorgeous eyes fluttered open, and she felt as if she were looking at the sky when she stared into those deep eyes, staring at his blue orbs. He smiled at her with his cheeks growing even redder, and she hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled and stroked her hair tenderly, never wanting the moment to end.

The rest of the kingdom opened their eyes, staring around them at the kingdom as it slowly came to life. King Uther and King Balinor sat side by side, staring in awe as Arithna strode down the stair in an elegant pink dress, with a handsome lad who had his arm linked through hers. He had a blu tunic that matched his eyes and a sword hung from his side. Whether he knew how to use it or not, no one said anything. Without a doubt in their minds, Hunith and Balinor stood from their seats immediately. Merlin raced to his mother, and she clung to him tightly, refusing to release her beautiful boy. Balinor jumped into the hug, and the boy was wrapped tightly in arms from all sides. He smiled and gently withdrew himself, then moved to approach Uther. He wrapped his arms tightly around the aging king, lifting him off the ground. Uther smiled in delight, and returned the boy’s warm embrace. Soft music echoed through the hall, and Merlin raced to Arthins, bowing before taking her hand in his. She drew his arm around his neck and he settled his on her hip, and she lead him through the ballroom, the whole room staring it the in awe at the flawless couple, as they danced against each other like they were one. Three particular sorcerers stood from somewhere, beaming with pride at the young prince they had come to love as their own.


End file.
